Yesterday afternoon, I was fortunate enough to be the only photographer for a civilian media outlet on hand for a closed demonstration of the U.S. Army’s newly revised fitness tests for soldiers. Back in the days of print, I would wake up and head to the news stand to get a copy of whatever publication I shot for. These days all I have to do is open my Google Alerts, and I’m instantly notified of every publication in the world who used my images online. After more than a decade of seeing my images in print its still a pretty good rush when you open up your alerts and see double digits in the results.
A couple takes a photo on the grounds of the South Carolina Statehouse in Columbia, SC.
What is there to do in Columbia on the first Sunday of 2011 after church ends, and before the first kickoff? If you found a digital camera under the Christmas tree this year, and aren’t sure how to get the most out of it for your family pictures, it might be a good idea to stop by the South Carolina State Museum at 1:30 or 3. Didn’t get a camera this year, but want to learn some tips to improve your digital photography? You’re invited too!
One of the great things about digital photography is that the cameras have become so advanced they can do a lot of the work for us, but thats also a tremendous drawback, because we tend to be lazy and forget the basic fundamentals of taking a good photograph. During these 1 hour mini-workshops, I will be covering some basic tips and tricks that you may have forgotten, or never learned to help you get the most out of digital photographs, all geared towards helping you record your family history.
If you want to learn more come by the South Carolina State Museum this Sunday, January 2, 2011 at 1:30pm or 3pm. The best part about this is that since its the first Sunday of the month admission is only $1, and the seminar is free with the price of admission. Trust me when I say its a much better value than the $1 double cheeseburger at the McDonald’s up the street.
While you’re at the Museum don’t forget to stop by the Lipscomb Gallery on the first floor to check out the amazing work of 24 South Carolina photographers featured in the Palmetto Portraits Project exhibit (in full disclosure I am one of the photographers). The exhibit runs through (closes) on January 9, 2011 so this may be your last chance to see this amazing collection of more than 240 portraits from around SC. For more information on the PPP visit http://palmettoportraits.musc.edu/ and for more information about exhibits and programs at the South Carolina State Museum visit http://www.museum.state.sc.us/
I just found out that Command Sergeant Major Teresa King, who I spent a day photographing back in September of 2009, after she was named the first female commandant of the U.S. Army Drill Sergeant School, was named to Oprah’s “2010 O Power List”. Congrats to CSM King, who is an amazing person. It doesn’t hurt knowing that you beat the queen of all media to the punch by an entire year either!
Here are the resulting pages from the November 2009 issue of Jolie. While I’m still not a fan of the layout/design used, it was a great story that was and still am proud to have been a part of telling.
CSM King is in pretty good company this year. The other nominees include the likes of Julia Roberts, Diane Sawyer, and Vera Wang. You can check out the full list at http://www.oprah.com/world/The-2010-O-Power-List
I am completely humbled that I have been selected as the Columbia Regional Visitors Center “Artist of the Month” for November 2010. Photographic prints will be on display and available for purchase throughout the entire month of November at the Visitors Center located inside the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center (1101 Lincoln Street).
We are kicking things off with a happy hour drop-in on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2010. Please join us for beer, wine and light hors d’oeuvres from 5:30-7:30pm at the Visitors Center in the Vista.
If you can’t make it to the happy hour, I will be at the Visitors Center all day, so feel free to stop by when you have a moment. These photographic prints make unique Christmas gifts. To help you get started with your holiday shopping all prints will be discounted 10-25% from 8:30am-7:30pm on the 4th.
Looking back on my email box, I found the first correspondence letting me know that I had been selected to participate in fourth series of the Palmetto Portraits Project a year ago today. Less than five days from now, on Wednesday, September 16, 2009, the exhibit will open to the public with a reception at MUSC’s new James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine, located at 29 Bee St. in Charleston, SC.
The view from the dock at Charles house on Mosquito Creek, near Bennetts Point, SC.
A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to spend some time on the coast at one of my favorite places in the world, my friend Charles’ river house on Fenwick Island. The best thing about Fenwick is that it is private, and with the exception of about 5 houses which are all owned by members of the Baldwin family, it is completely un-spoiled by the meddling of man. Wild, un-touched, and completely cut off, this is the perfect place for me to get back in touch with my personal vision, explore, and have an adventure fishing off-shore, and have deep philosophical discussions with others much wiser than I.
Finished images from the Spanish Vines - Spring 2009 - Bottle Shoot
I didn’t really have any actual Spanish music on my iPod when I went into the studio last night for the Spring 2009 Bottle Shoot for Spanish Vines, so Buena Vista Social Club had to suffice, to get me in the mood (yes I know its Cuban, not Spanish, but the vibes are similar, and that was really all I needed). The one thing I love about working in the studio on a small shoot like this, is that I can put on some music, sip a drink, and work at my own creative pace, even though the client needed the shots turned around extremely quickly. Not too long ago I would have dreaded being stuck in a dark studio for an hour or two, but I guess with age has come an appreciation for the opportunity to slow down and work at a more relaxed pace. Continue reading “Uncorking Product Shots”→
The clock showed it was 2am, as I made way home to Columbia in the back seat of Mary Ann’s car early Sunday morning, following the 60th running of the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, in Darlington, SC. I was completely drained from two non-stop days of making my way around the “Lady in Black” while on assignment for the Associated Press, but was content as could be, and didn’t mind the fact that it would be 3am or later before my head hit the pillow.
, before the 60th running of the Southern 500, for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto racing at Darlington Raceway on, Saturday, May 9, 2009, in Darlington, S.C. (AP Photo/Brett Flashnick)
My first fine art photography show Symbology, installed in the black box theatre at the Columbia Music Festival association.
As I sat on the porch where I currently live, listening to the water fall in the Koi pond, and trying to catch up on growing email inbox this morning, I ran across a facebook message from a few weeks ago that new friend and fellow artist Anastasia Chernoff sent, after visiting my photo show, the subject of that message was “The after-show glow…” In her message she equated the emotions of putting your first show together, to giving birth to a baby (something I’ll never know about), and went on to say “…the opening night was all so beautifully surreal. An incredible high that, to this day, STILL resonates within me when I think about it.” That last statement is something I can now completely understand though. Now that I look back on the whole experience of my show which closed at the conclusion of the 2009 Artista Vista three weeks ago, it STILL resonates within me, and I’m sure it will continue to, for the rest of my life. While my entire life has been a complete whirlwind for the past 3 months, filled with the stresses of work, travel, putting on my first show, and trying to buy my first home, I sit here this morning feeling the calmest, and certainly the most content I’ve been in the past 8 months, all thanks to the wonderful friends, and family who now share my life with me.
I believe that our culture is founded on, and formed by symbols that enable us to connect what we can see with those things that can only be understood by our souls. The symbols we use to express our patriotism, faith, love, and even socioeconomic status, are simply an outward expression of the desire we all share as human beings to belong to something larger than ourselves. The representation of these symbols in the images I have created reflects the way I see what my subjects present, as a means of communicating their belonging to the world around them.
A political protester grasps a confederate battle flag, outside of town hall meeting at Seawell's, in Columbia, S.C., for Republican presidential hopeful John McCain.
The proceeding statement was the founding basis for my first fine art photography show titled “Symbology,” which contains 15 16×20 format silver halide prints, from editorial images which I have created over the past decade as a freelance photojournalist.
Symbology will open with a free reception on Art Night, Thursday, April 23, 2009 from 4-9pm.
The show will continue on Friday, April 24, 2009, with gallery hours from 11am-3pm, followed by a special performance from local rock band, All Walks of Life from 7pm-Until. Tickets for the show are $5, and can be purchased at CMFA in advance or at the door.
Gallery hours will continue on Saturday, April 25, 2009 from 11am-3pm, and will conclude with a special talk, and question and answer session from 2-3pm.
